INTERVIEW: THE BIG BALLOON BUILD Below: Each build has its own theme.
The joy of balloons Having worked as a director at the Royal National Institute of Blind People before becoming a balloon artist, Stuart Davies, director of the Big Balloon Build, wanted to do something that combined the joy balloons could provide with giving back to communities and charities. Progressive Party sat down with him to find out all about the events.
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riginally, Stuart Davies set up the Big Balloon Build as a development exercise. He wanted to develop his own skills and those of his team of balloon artists. Stuart explains: “I wanted to create training that expanded our horizons and artistic ability, expanded our technical abilities and made us think more creatively.” After the first build for a charity with other balloon artists in 2016, Stuart noticed people were approaching him to get involved. He continues: “That was when I realised, that like myself, a lot of other people wanted to expand their skillset. Working in the balloon industry is a very
“We made a giant train that was 14’ high and 20’ wide in Kansas City. So they got involved with balloon walls, design work, framework, rigging.” As well as bringing balloon artists together and learning new skills, the Big Balloon Build works with a charity for each event, meaning each project simultaneously gives something back. Stuart expands: “It was also about working with my community and having an interaction with that community, which I miss from my previous career. I was assistant director of the Royal National Institute for Blind People in Wales, and part of my role was developing innovative projects that increased inclusion for people with sight loss and overcoming issues that people with sight loss were facing.” Stuart and his team harness the power of balloons on a huge scale: “If you show a child a single balloon and see the smile on their face, it’s just amazing. Now if you can translate that into 100,000 balloons and have an impact not just on one child, but on a thousand children, 10,000 children, plus the adults who are amazed by it, and then to be able to raise awareness and funds for the charity who support, you take what a balloon can do to the ultimate level. That’s exciting for me.” Below: Seeing the smiles on visitors faces, is just amazing, says Stuart.
insular event because most of us work alone, many are home based and have very little contact with peers. We try to stick to a 9am-5pm build over three days and then we go out together in the evening as a team. “So having that contact with others and developing networking opportunities is unbelievable. But also having the chance to use your art and your business to make a purposeful difference to the world, is quite profound.” The artists learn a range of new skills, while also having the chance to network: Below: The Big Balloon Build brings together a wide range of individuals. Right: Stuart Davies, director of the Big Balloon Build.
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